FALL CLASSES BEGIN 1/28

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
POLI SCI 1  - ONLINE (3 Units)
Sec. 25434

WELCOME!!!!!

Why do millions of Americans not vote?  Why is it that the winner of the popular vote for President can also be the loser?  Is there really a difference between Democrats and Republicans?  Do we really need 50 state governments if we have one national government?  Why was there a recall election in California?  Don't know much about American politics?  Then welcome to Poli Sci 1!

Poli Sci 1 covers the structure and functions of the American national state and local governments.  Emphasis is placed on the development of democratic institutions through historical and contemporary studies.  Students will have an opportunity to understand what has shaped the United States Constitution, its amendments, major court interpretations, the operation of and one's role in democratic government.  This course may be used to meet the Social Science I or II requirement in the General Education Pattern for transfer to the California State University system.

Additional topics this course will explore are the following:

Required Texts

General Course Policies

1. Print out this syllabus as evidence for transfer to a four-year institution.
2. Participation on the group discussion board and COMPLETING THE ASSIGNED READING by the beginning of each topic are essential to passing this course.
3. Tutoring is available at no charge at Tutorial Services.  It is provided by qualified, trained students who have been recommended by the faculty.  Contact Tutorial Services in the Library Building or call 741-2038.
4. PASS/NO PASS option will only be granted if the student e-mails the Instructor before the end of the sixth week to request the option.  
5. ***Plagiarism/cheating will be treated as automatic failures and offenders will be referred to the CSSO for disciplinary action.  Familiarize yourself with the campus policy on cheating detailed in the College Catalogue under Student Conduct Code, 5.8.19 Policy on Cheating.  (You will find examples of what plagiarism is and how to avoid it at http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html.)***
6. West Valley College makes reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.  College materials will be available in alternate formats (Braille, audio, electronic format, or large print) upon request.  Please contact the Disability and Educational Support Program at (408) 741-2010 (voice) or (408) 741-2658 (TTY) for assistance.

Pass/No Pass Option and Dropping

Students wishing to take this class with the Pass/No Pass option must inform the instructor in writing no later than the end of the SIXTH WEEK.  Requests for this option WILL NOT be accepted after that time.  See the WVC Catalog under "Academic Regulations and Standards" for more information about this option.

In addition, students who wish to be dropped from the course are responsible for doing this on their own.  I will not do this for you.  If you stop logging on to Angel but your name is on my roster at the end of the semester, you will receive an "F" in the class with no opportunities to change this to a "W."

Quizzes and Exams

You are required to take 14 quizzes (the two lowest scores being dropped and added back into your total as Extra Credit), a midterm, and a final.  ALL QUIZZES AND EXAMS ARE CONDUCTED ONLINE on the Angel server.

Each quiz is based on the corresponding chapter that is assigned in the Bardes textbook for that week.  You will have 20 minutes to complete 15 questions (once you begin the quiz, you must complete it within 20 minutes by 11:55 pm of the due date).  You MAY NOT make-up a missed quiz.  In addition to reading the textbook, you may find useful the companion web page for our Bardes textbook maintained by Wadsworth/Cengage (your book's publisher) at http://coursemate.cengage.com/CPReader/View/9781111356323/default.aspx?eISBN=9781111356323&anon=True#home. This companion web page has practice quiz questions.

Once you take the quiz, the system will give you an immediate score; however, you can only fully review your quiz for the correct answers once the quiz period is complete (i.e., at the end of the week).

Your Midterm and Final exams are essay format and will be explained in Study Guides that are currently posted on the lecture web page.

IF A PROBLEM OCCURS:  Students are encouraged not to wait until the last day to take a quiz (which will be available for the entire week).  If a problem occurs with the system or your computer (and let's face it - such problems DO occur from time to time), contact me ASAP.  I will help you solve the problem.  If, however, you wait until the final day (or worse, the final hours) and a problem arises, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to help you before the deadline (you take that risk upon yourself by waiting so long to take the quiz).

Threaded Discussions

Every one to two weeks a threaded discussion will be posted based on the DiClerico readings, something in the textbook, or current events in the news. Click on the Discussions icon on the Angel page under Lessons, read the topic statement, and then post your comments. You may respond to the instructor's statement or any other comment made by other students.  You must participate in each of these discussions in order to receive credit for your participation.  More instructions are posted on Angel.

Extra Credit

Your two lowest scored quizzes (which includes a missed quiz scored as zero) that are dropped will be added back into your total score as Extra Credit.  The incentive here is to take ALL of the quizzes (not just the 14 required) and do the best you can on them all.  

Papers

You are required to turn in one paper analyzing the debates presented in the DiClerico book.  This paper is 220 points and is explained in more detail HERE.  

How to Read the Lectures

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE:

Course Outline

Week 1  (Jan 28 - Feb 2) 

- What is American Politics?
- Contemporary Issues in California Politics

Week 2  (Feb 3 - 9)

- The U.S. Constitution:  Rules of the Political Game 
- Simulation:  Constitution

Week 3  (Feb 10 - 16)

- American Federalism:  Eighty-Seven Thousand Governments
- Simulation:  Federalism

Week 4  (Feb 17 - 23)

- Civil Liberties in America
- Civil Liberties and the War on Terrorism

Week 5   (Feb 24 - March 2)

- The Politics of Civil Rights:  Race and Ethnicity
- The Politics of Civil Rights:  Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Persons with Disabilities

Week 6  (March 3 - 9)

Public Opinion and Political Socialization
- Simulation:  Public Opinion

Week 7  (March 10 - 16)

NO LECTURES:  FOCUS ON MIDTERM

PAPER OPTIONAL DUE by Saturday, March 16 at 11:59 pm

MIDTERM Begins Sunday, March 10 and ends Saturday, March 16 at 11:55 pm

Week 8  (March 17 - 23)

- Political Parties in America
- Simulation:  Political Parties

Week 9  (March 24 - 30)

- Interest Group Politics
- Simulation:  Interest Groups

March 31 - April 6 - SPRING BREAK 

Week 10  (April 7 - 13)

- Campaigns and Elections in America
- "The Mother's Milk of Politics:"  Financing the Modern Campaign

Week 11  (April 14 - 20)

- Congressional Politics
- Simulation:  Congress

Week 12 (April 21 - 27) 

- Presidential Politics
- Simulation:  Presidency

REQUIRED PAPER DUE DATE (if you didn't exercise the optional date):  Saturday, April 27 by 11:59 pm.

Week 13   (April 28 - May 4)  

- The Federal Judiciary
- Simulation:  Judiciary

Week 14  (May 5 - 11)

- Bureaucratic Politics
- Simulation:  The Bureaucracy

Week 15  (May 12 - 18)

- Politics and American Foreign Policy
- Simulation:  Foreign Policy

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE: